Anath's Mirror
by Eliza Hayes
Summary: Mini Jack takes a trip through the Quantum Mirror and lands in the middle of Smallville.


Anath's Mirror

By Eliza Hayes

The wind blew through the burned out buildings like a spirit mourning their passing. Chloe shivered, as the same wind seemed to encircle her in its cold hand. All of her reports about this Smallville mutation said that the creature would show up here.

"Hey Chloe!" Clark came out of the shadows. "What are you doing here?"

"Clark! You scared me half to death." Chloe punched him on the shoulder. She rubbed her sore knuckles. "Ouch! Have you been working out with the 'Shoulders of Steel' in gym class."

"So, what are you doing here?" Clark asked, avoiding the subject.

"You saw the picture." Chloe pulled it out again, in case Clark had any doubts.

"It's a man in werewolf costume." Clark took a good look at the picture.

"I have it on good authority it's not." Chloe walked away from Clark, huffing.

"At least let me walk you to your car." Clark followed her. "I wouldn't want you to be attacked by a werewolf. You might be condemned to turn into one every full moon."

"Very funny, Clark." Chloe acted mad but, actually, she wasn't. This was the first time that she had a little of the old Clark back. She hoped in time to regain his trust after almost betraying him to Lionel Luthor.

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Dr. Trent tapped on her desk. The tapping was an unconscious mannerism dating back from childhood. She only did it when she was either angry or frustrated. In this case, she was both so she tapped double-time. Dr. Trent didn't realize that, when she forced Jack into the gifted program, she would be getting a major headache.

"The group always heads to an International Program for the Gifted during Spring Break." Dr. Trent picked up the brochure to Scotland.

"I'm sorry. I already have travel plans." Jack was desperate. Except for the NASA trip, he was with the Geeks every day during the school year. If he didn't get time away from them, he would be locked up in either jail or the looney bin.

"Where are you going?" Dr. Trent was trying to get Jack more involved in the program. He would see that his life had more to offer than being in the Air Force like his Uncle.

"What does it matter?" Jack stalled, trying to think of some place educational. All he wanted to do was meet up with Isabel and her friends and travel across the United States for a while. It was depressing to have a second childhood without any of the perks of being a child.

"Jack, I feel it's important to your future that you go with us." Dr. Trent picked up the brochure and handed it to Jack. Jack read the brochure. He straightened up when he read about the salmon fishing.

"I'm going to call your Uncle and tell him about the program." Dr. Trent recoiled from Jack's glare.

"All right, Ms. Trent, I'll go to Scotland." Jack unconsciously curled the brochure up in his fist. " But don't you ever try this again or you will regret it." His face had shifted and appeared hard and dangerous.

"I'll make the arrangements." Dr. Trent, at this point, would feel triumphant but for the first time in a long time, she was afraid of a student.

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Dr. Trent led her group down the ramp, they all were a little stiff from their long flight. They got their passports stamped before heading towards several people holding up signs.

"I'm Dr. Trent." Dr. Trent said to a redheaded young man holding up her name. He appeared to be a few years younger than Dr. Trent. "This is Nigel Brantley, Mark Lambert, Jack O'Neill and Denis and Denise Drake."

"Hi." Jack yawned, shifting the carry-on bag that contained his foolproof fishing pole. He had found it difficult to sleep on the flight with a young child whining in the seat in front of him.

"I'm Dr. Steaphan Drummonds, Dr. Hilliard's assistant." Steaphan gestured towards some doors. "The parking garage is this way. We have to pick up one more person, Minnie Sorrell, and then head to McAllister's castle."

"Castle?" Jack questioned.

"Laird McAllister is allowing us to use his castle in Perthshire." Steaphan said enthusiastically to Jack. "My family has known him since I was a child. Unlike most castles of the same period, McAllister had installed heating and air conditioning. Most of the aristocracy had to open their homes to the public. Owning a castle is an extremely expensive proposition. This is the first time in twenty years the McAllister castle was opened to anybody but family. However, we're not allowed in the family wings. Those doors will be locked."

"How kind of him." Mark picked up his and Jack's bag and tossed Jack's bag to him.

A young girl in a skort and a bright red bow came in juggling three bags and a knapsack. Jack went over to meet her, somehow knowing she was Minnie.

"You must be Minnie Sorrell." Jack stated. "Do you need a hand with that?"

"Thanks." Minnie unloaded two bags on an unsuspecting Jack.

"Looks like you're planning on staying a while." Jack staggered back to the group.

"It seems like a lot but what if the outfit I want to wear has an itchy tag." Minnie grinned.

"Cut it out?" Jack responded.

"Then I won't know how to wash it." Minnie was horrified at the thought of ruining a favorite outfit because she cut out the tag.

Jack fell silent. He knew he had lost this argument. Actually, with over fifty years of memories, he should have known not to say anything. He waited for the rest of the team to get their bags. Once everyone was back, they headed for the parking garage.

Steaphan drove for what seemed like forever until they reached McAllister's castle. Jack was half asleep in the back until they reached the castle. He then saw a most glorious sight.

"Nice lake." Jack said. "How's the fishing?"

"The burn is known for its salmon." Steaphan responded in a happy tone. "Laird McAllister is quite the fisherman. Do you fish?" Mark snorted.

"Yes." Jack ignored Mark, beaming at the thought of fishing. He realized that he had made the right decision to come to Scotland.

"Perhaps we can go out one day." Steaphan said.

"Sure." Jack grinned, glad to finally find someone to go fishing with. Dr. Trent frowned at the realization that she had been had.

As soon as they stepped into the main entranceway, a rugged middle-aged man stepped out from one of the rooms.

"Dr. Hilliard." Dr. Trent shook the man's hand.

"Darcy, call me Kevin." Hilliard said in a hearty tone. "I'm no longer your teacher."

"Kevin." Dr. Trent said. "These are my students."

"Nigel Brantley, I've been expecting good things from you since your first methane-powered engine." Hilliard shook Nigel's hand.

"Thank you, Dr. Hilliard." Nigel surreptitiously massaged his hand after Hilliard released it.

"Mark Lambert, your family must be extremely proud." Hilliard grabbed a hold of Mark's hand and enthusiastically shook it. "How are they?"

"They're fine." Mark hoped to recover his hand soon. "I'll tell them you asked after them."

"Good lad." Hilliard turned towards the twins. "You must be Denis and Denise Drake. I've heard about your skill with computers."

"Like Binars." Jack muttered. Mark and Minnie could barely maintained a straight face.

"Jack O'Neill, I haven't heard much about you." Hilliard smiled at Jack.

"Only arrived two years ago." Jack smiled, a little amused at the truth of his statement.

"He's been lucky." Denise joked in a light-hearted manner. She was trying not to appear jealous but failing miserably.

"Luck is almost as important as true intelligence." Hilliard stated.

"And politeness is almost as important as true kindness." Jack grinned at Hilliard. There was an uncomfortable silence. No one was quite sure if Jack was joking or not.

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Dr. Trent tore at her toast, taking out her anger at the innocent toast rather than the true source of her ire. She was hoping Jack would become closer to the group. Instead Jack was only together with the team during the seminars and meals. The rest of the time, he was either with Steaphan or some other team member fishing or taking in the sights. What made it worse was she couldn't complain. The other teams were raving about this trip saying it was great not to talk about science 24/7.

"Hi everybody." Jack strode into the dining room cheerfully. He nodded at Nigel and Mark and smiled at the other groups. He was having the best fishing trip ever. He was actually catching some fish. Jack also enjoyed Steaphan's company. It didn't hurt that Steaphan knew all the good fishing spots.

"You can sit here." Minnie blushed.

"Thanks." Jack was rather fond of Minnie. He found out her true name was Mindy. However, he agreed with everybody that met her that Minnie fit her better. Her triangular face and her favorite red bow in her hair reminded people almost forcefully of Minnie Mouse. "So what's latest design?" Jack pointed to her pad.

"Here." Minnie was delighted that Jack never teased her about doing her design on paper. Somehow she found it easier to start working on paper first and scan it in the computer when she finished her first draft. Jack nodded like it made perfect sense to do it that way.

Jack reached for the pad. He flipped through design after design. Jack recognized a modified F-14 engine design. "Interesting." Jack paused at the picture. "Either the plane will break all speed records or blow up."

"I'm still working on it." Minnie wished she could show him a design that would impress him.

"Tell me when you're done." Jack grinned. Minnie reminded him a little of Carter and Daniel. She had Carter's love of science and Daniel's enthusiasm. Maybe one day she would be at Stargate Command. "It would be a great ride."

"You fly!" Minnie exclaimed descending further into her crush.

"Yes, I try to get up at least once a week." Jack said. "I'm going to join the Air Force Academy in a couple of years."

"We're trying to show him that there are other things in life besides the Air Force." Dr. Trent picked up another piece of defenseless toast. "You shouldn't follow your Uncle's path but try to find your own."

"I know." Jack said, almost to himself. Jack's good mood vanished. Sometimes he could forget what he'd loss, what he never had, for weeks at a time. Other times, the pain of the loss was overwhelming. "I guess blood will tell." Jack said to Dr. Trent with a twisted grin.

"What do you think of this?" Minnie pushed the open pad at Jack, changing the subject. She knew Dr. Trent didn't like Jack. Minnie also knew he could be annoying some, okay, most of the time with people he disliked, especially Dr. Trent and Dr. Hilliard.

"Hmm." Jack flipped through the pad. He stopped at picture of an oddly shaped weapon. He recognized the general shape of a zat. "What's this?" Jack snapped.

"I don't know." Minnie wrinkled her brow. "I saw it in a seminar. I liked it shape."

"It looks like a weird snake. Who does it belong too?" Jack grinned at Minnie. "I didn't know we were allowed to bring toys."

Minnie got close to Jack and whispered. "I brought my mouse."

"What?" Jack pulled back wondering where that came from.

"Minnie Mouse, my stuffed animal." Minnie blushed as she pulled up her bag. "I keep it in my knapsack."

"And all I brought was my fishing gear. Who brought the snake?" Jack pulled the conversation back to the original question.

"Dr. Hilliard."

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Steaphan noticed the door to the family wing partially ajar. He frowned angrily. One or more of the kids disregarded the rule and broke into the family rooms. He pulled the door opened and went in. Before he could walk through Jack came up behind him.

"Steaphan, what's wrong?" Jack had finished his fruitless search for Dr. Hilliard. He wished he had some sort of weapon to fight the Goa'uld. He knew he should wait for General Hammond's team but he wanted to make sure Dr. Hilliard wasn't going to cause any trouble. And it would take another hour at least before the team would arrive.

"I found the doorway to the family quarters open." Steaphan felt guilty. At Dr. Hilliard's request, he talked Laird McAllister into letting his castle to be used. If anything was damaged or destroyed, he would make sure that person left this very day.

"Let me help you." Jack had a nasty suspicion that he knew who the culprit would be.

Steaphan nodded, not wanting to waste any more time talking to Jack. They walked silently opening up room after room filled with treasures of several generations of McAllisters. Neither of them realized someone was following behind them. Jack pulled open another door with two stories of leather bound books covering almost every wall. Beautiful plush chairs in every corner of the room with their own reading lamps. A couch and loveseat with a coffee table between them dominated the center of the room. Off to the left stood Dr. Hilliard pointing something at a large mirror about as tall as a full-grown man.

"What are you doing here?" Steaphan snapped.

"Steaphan, Jack, nice of you to join me." Dr. Hilliard's voice changed, growing deeper. Steaphan didn't recognize the change but unfortunately Jack did. Jack also recognized the Quantum Mirror and the control device. He nearly groaned aloud when he saw the mirror was activated. "And to answer your question, I have been looking for this mirror for a millennium. It took me fifty years to figure out that the McAllister family had it."

"Isn't your seminar on quantum physics coming up in twenty minutes?" Jack hoped that Dr. Hilliard would decide to wait for a better opportunity to use the mirror.

"Planning on getting some sleep, Jack?" Dr. Hilliard's eyes glowed as he raised his left hand. It was then that Jack noticed the zat. Jack stepped back knowing that Dr. Hilliard wasn't planning on letting them leave this room alive.

"My god, what are you?" Steaphan breathed, his Scottish accent making the words barely understandable to Jack.

"I'm Anath, your God." Anath/Dr. Hilliard put the "remote" on the end table. "Worship me and I'll let you live."

"Anath, daughter of Ra." Jack was a little surprised to remember one of Daniel's briefings. "Consort to Ba'al." Jack managed not to flinch when saying that name. He still had nightmares of his time spent in Ba'al's torture chamber.

"You surprise me, Jack." Anath lifted Jack's chin with the zat. Steaphan stood still looking like he stepped into the middle of the Twilight Zone. "I was the consort to Ba'al but Seth convinced me he was weak."

"You certainly get around." Jack said. If his teammates were here, they would be groaning. His Goa'uld baiting was almost pathological.

Anath tightened his grip on the zat.

"Jack, where are you?" A cry came from the hallway. Anath shifted his weapon towards the entrance of the room as Minnie came in. Jack grabbed Anath's arm and twisted it around his back. The zat shot once hitting the bookshelves by the doorway, haloing them briefly in a blue light. Jack twisted his arm harder. Anath dropped the weapon.

"Steaphan get it." Jack cried, as he struggled to control the much stronger man. Steaphan grabbed at the zat. Anath kicked Steaphan over the sofa where he rolled onto the floor.

"You'll regret this Jack." Anath snarled. Jack held on for dear life trying to bring Anath down. Anath backed up quickly, slamming Jack against the wall. Jack heard one of his ribs creak but he refused to let go. Anath slammed him against the wall again. This time Jack's hold loosened enough for Anath to yank his arm free.

"Hold it!" Steaphan cried holding the zat in a shaking hand. Anath leapt toward Steaphan. Jack followed but Minnie beat him to the punch by slamming her knapsack against Anath's head. Anath went down hard.

"Is everybody all right?" Jack picked up the remote from the table and put it in his jacket pocket. He felt as if his back was cracked in two.

"Yes." Minnie shivered.

Steaphan nodded still clutching the zat in his fist.

"We need something to tie him up." Jack said.

"What about my laptop cord?" Minnie unzipped the bag and pulled it out. Jack took it and used it. Anath's mouth opened and a snake creature flew out heading toward Steaphan.

"What the hell?" Steaphan fired at the snake. Unfortunately, for all concerned, he missed and the Goa'uld entered him.

"NO!" Jack yelled. He never saw a Goa'uld switch hosts without a lot of incentive. And although Dr. Hilliard was injured, it wasn't fatal.

"Steaphan." Minnie headed towards Steaphan who grinned his eyes glowed as he fired the weapon at Minnie. She fell, knocked out by the zat.

Jack swung Minnie's knapsack at Anath's new host Steaphan. Anath jumped back the knapsack missed the main target but knocked the zat out of his hand.

Anath screamed, frustrated by this boy who seemed to cause so much damage. Anath grabbed Jack and threw him towards the mirror. With a flash of light, Jack disappeared through the mirror.

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Several cars drove up to the castle and twenty men jumped out.

"Donovan, stay here." Captain Benjamin from the SGC headed for the castle. "Allow no one to enter except Colonel O'Neill and his team."

"Yes sir." Donovan and his team surrounded the castle as Captain Benjamin and the rest of the men entered the castle.

Captain Benjamin brushed by Dr. Trent and the other members of the gifted program. He was annoyed at being sent here on the say so of a child. Even though General Hammond explained to him that the boy held most of Colonel O'Neill's memories, he didn't believe it.

"Where's Jack O'Neill?" Benjamin motioned his men to search all the rooms.

"I don't know." Dr. Trent snapped back, angered that Jack brought this trouble down on them.

"He was looking for Dr. Hilliard." Mark came forward. "His, Dr. Hilliard's, seminar should have started a couple of minutes ago."

Captain Benjamin listened to his men going through the different rooms. Minute after minute ticked by. Benjamin became angrier and angrier at this wild goose chase.

"I'm under fire. I repeat I'm under fire." A frantic voice came over the radio. "Second floor. Library."

"Jacobs, Tyler, back up Rogers." Captain Benjamin said into his radio as he ran upstairs. He heard gunfire a few feet ahead of him. He slowed down when he saw several of his men entering the library.

"Captain, there are two people unconscious. One of them is tied up." Jacobs reported. "The man firing at us disappeared."

"Donovan make sure no one leaves the castle." Captain Benjamin noticed a middle-aged man lying by the sofa. A young girl was spread out several feet from the man.

"Yes sir." Donovan answered.

"Tyler, gather the people in the main sitting room." Captain Benjamin said. Tyler headed downstairs.

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Jack spread out on the floor in an uncomfortable sprawl. After testing all his fingers and toes, he got up and discovered that he was lying on Minnie's knapsack. He ducked behind a box when he saw Anath come through the mirror. Jack crawled to the door of the darkened room going around the boxes and old cloth-covered furniture. He heard the floor squeak behind him then saw the blue glow of the zat being fired.

"Got you!" Anath headed towards the area. He looked down to discover a large squirrel lying stunned on the floor.

Jack took the opportunity to escape from the room. He ran down a long corridor until he reached the stairs. He realized then, he was still in the castle in another reality. Jack wondered, 'Why was Anath still chasing him? Anath could leave him … No I have the remote. Need to hide it. If he catches me …'

Jack looked around, trying to find a good hiding place and saw the vents for the heating and air conditioning near the ceiling. Jack ran towards his room not wanting to risk being out in the open. A few minutes later, he reached his room then climbed on a chair and unscrewed the vent with his ever-present Swiss Army Knife. He placed the remote in the opening and then replaced the vent.

Jack went back downstairs toward the main hallway leading outside. He almost ran into a woman carrying a vacuum cleaner. Before Jack could calm her down she scurried away.

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Lex finished eating the last of his breakfast. Ever since being marooned on the island, he made sure that he ate regularly. He planned on going to the plant to meet with the Board of Directors and management and had his Ferrari outside waiting for him. He looked up from the plant's financial statements when he heard someone clear his throat.

"What is it, Tibbs." Lex asked the sturdy man.

"Mr. Luthor, there's a stranger in the mansion." Tibbs responded. "Jenny, the maid, saw him. I have my team looking through the main hallway now."

"Lex, you really should put more cameras up for security." Lionel glided in with a smirk.

"I feel more secure this way." Lex smirked back at his nemesis. He knew that it was potentially more dangerous to have his father know his every move.

"Let's go Tibbs." Lex walked out of the room with Tibbs following behind. Lionel sat down at the table and went through the financial statements.

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Anath came from one of the rooms.

"I knew you would come this way." Anath pointed the zat at Jack. He motioned to Jack to come in the room. "It's the quickest way out of the castle."

"What do you want?" Jack realized he was in a sitting room with a fireplace and a large window to let in light. He glanced around to see if he could find a weapon. He saw some fireplace implements but was too far away to get to them.

"Give me your knapsack." Anath waved the weapon. "Don't do anything foolish. I could shoot you with this and take it."

"Okay." Jack took off the knapsack and gave it to Anath.

Anath dumped its contents on the floor. Minnie Mouse dropped out of the bag looking like a corpse. A cracked laptop, several CD's, pads and pencils fell out in a mad jumble.

"Give me your jacket!" Anath held out his hand

"Here." Jack threw his jacket toward the right corner of the room. Anath turned towards the jacket. For a brief moment of time, the Goa'uld didn't pay attention to Jack. Jack used one hand to cup Anath's elbow and other hit Anath's wrist in the other direction. This made weapon fly out of his hand. Anath, furious, punched Jack in the ribs. Usually, Jack could easily dodge the punch, but he had locked onto Anath's arm, and the full weight of the punch hit Jack, dropping him to the floor.

Jack saw the zat, a few feet from the curtain. 'Hide.' Jack thought hard, not wanting Anath to get it. Before his disbelieving eyes, he saw the zat move on its own to hide under the curtain.

Jack didn't have time to be amazed because at that same moment, the door slammed open and four armed people ran in. "Hold it right there."

A fifth person stood outside the door. Anath grabbed the first person through the door using him like a shield. He grabbed that person's gun to kill one of the people before Jack or the other four could do anything about it.

Jack picked up a fireplace poker and hit Anath's left arm, breaking it. Anath shoved the man toward his two remaining friends and ran towards the window. Several shots grazed Anath as he jumped through the window. Three of the other men followed him through.

"ANATH!" Jack was about to pursue him when Tibbs held him back. He stared down watching Anath drive off in a Ferrari with men chasing him. He noticed that the castle wasn't in Scotland. There was no lake.

"Let the professionals handle it." Tibbs pulled Jack to the side. "He can't get far."

"He's driving one of the fastest cars in the world." Jack spoke back. "And he didn't seemed to have any problem hotwiring it."

"Didn't have to, the keys were in it." Lex bent over to pick up the Minnie Mouse. "I find it convenient."

"So did he." Jack turned back to Lex noticing that he had the mouse. "Do you mind?" Jack snatched the stuffed mouse back from Lex. "Jeez!"

Jack packed up Minnie's belongings. He walked to the curtain and picked up the zat.

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Colonel O'Neill hoped to get more information from Dr. Hilliard but the man was understandably a wreck. To have a Goa'uld in your body was a traumatic experience. A majority of them were, for the lack of a stronger word, evil. He supposed it had to do with having the memory of your whole family line being there at birth.

"Sedate him and put him on suicide watch." O'Neill turned to Minnie who was sitting quietly on the sofa. "Hi, I'm Jack O'Neill."

"I'm Mindy Sorrell. You can call me Minnie." Minnie saw the resemblance to her Jack, mostly in the eyes. "You're Jack's father?"

"Uncle." O'Neill's lips twitched at her well-suited nickname. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I followed Jack and Steaphan here." Minnie frowned a little. "But now thinking back on it, it started earlier at breakfast."

"Go on." O'Neill encouraged Minnie.

"We were eating breakfast. Jack was looking at my designs." Minnie thought back on the incident not believing it happened only a few hours ago. "He saw one that look like a weird snake. He wanted to know what it was. When I told him I didn't know and it belong to Dr. Hilliard, he jumped up and left the room."

O'Neill made some encouraging noises. He was impressed with Minnie's calmness under pressure.

"I was looking for him." Minnie started. "I was worried. I saw him and Steaphan talking for a moment. Then they entered the family quarters. We weren't suppose to go there so I lost them for a moment. I started opening doors trying to find them. I opened this one and saw Jack holding Dr. Hilliard's arm behind his back. I saw the snake weapon again. It fired a blue energy beam at me before it fell on the floor."

Minnie trembled, some of the shock wearing off. O'Neill touched her shoulder. "Can you go on?"

"Dr. Hilliard was hurting Jack." Minnie looked about as angry as a friendly Disney mouse could. "When he was heading toward Steaphan, I hit him with my knapsack. I think I cracked my laptop. We tied him up but a snake flew out of Dr. Hilliard's mouth and entered Steaphan. That's the last I remember."

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Tibbs took Jack to an office. Everything in the office indicated extreme wealth from the Persian rugs on the floor to the cherry wood desk and soft leather furniture.

A door opened and a tall lean man with a beard and mass of curls came striding in. He sat down behind the desk. His gaze was piercing. For several minutes, there were no sounds except for the quiet breathing of the people in the room.

"You're on private property." Lionel glared at Jack.

"I'm sorry." Jack said.

"I'm Lionel Luthor." Lionel said the name like everybody knew it. "Who are you?"

"Jack O'Neill." Jack heard the office door open again. Lex Luthor walked in and shut the door. Jack projected an air of innocence.

"Why are you here?" Lionel saw through Jack's facade.

"I'm from Scotland Yard. Some poor guy in Scotland lost his castle." Jack answered. Lex swallowed his laughter. He didn't know whether to admire Jack's gall or smack some sense into him.

"Do you know what I can do to you?" Lionel had a brief moment of anger. He was surprised most people made it a point not to get him angry.

"Whatever you can do to me, I probably already had it done." Jack had already been captured, tortured, killed and duplicated many, many times. 'What more could Lionel Luthor do to me?' Jack thought.

Lionel picked up a small knife that he used for opening envelopes. "Do you know I moved this castle, rock by rock, to Kansas? That was difficult. Making you disappear will be a whole lot easier."

"I'm after Steaphan Drummonds." Jack lowered his head trying to surreptitiously ease his sore back muscles without hurting his ribs.

"Tibbs informed me that you called the person Anath. Egyptian goddess." Lionel said.

"He told me to call him that." Jack informed Lionel.

"He's crazy isn't he?" Lionel watched Lex, disappointed that he didn't flinch at the comment.

"Well, at the very least queer in the head." Jack said.

"It wasn't wise of you to follow him." Lionel toyed with the knife.

"I'm not a very wise person." Jack shoved his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Why did you follow him?" Lionel said.

"It's personal." Jack dropped the act for a moment. He looked at Lionel with his face showing the Air Force Colonel that was deep inside with none of his surface good humor.

"What did Steaphan do to you?" Lionel didn't get where he was without knowing people. Something rang false about Jack. He met Jack's gaze. There was determination and strength of will in the boy's eyes. Too bad Lex wasn't more like him.

"It's personal." Jack repeated. Why does no good deed go unpunished? Jack thought to himself. You would have thought I got caught stealing the silverware instead of saving several people from a madman.

"What's your parent's number?" Lionel decided to end this conversation.

"They're dead!" Jack shifted his feet. He hated being in the body of a child. He always had to produce either a parent, which was impossible, or a guardian, which was annoying.

"Steaphan Drummonds have anything to do with that?" Lionel watched as Jack jumped in surprise.

"How?" Jack bit back the original question of 'how in the world did you leap to that conclusion'. But on second thought it was actually a good reason why he followed an insane killer into some stranger's castle.

Lionel was glad to settle that mystery. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Tibbs, take the boy to the Sheriff's office." He covered the phone's mouthpiece and spoke to Jack. "I'm sure you will be safe from him."

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"Daniel, you can't follow him." Hammond said sympathetically into the phone.

"General Hammond, if he was the original would you being saying that?" Daniel paced back and forth in front of the speaker. "Sorry Jack."

Jack shook the comment off. He wanted to go through the mirror too but, if any of the team already existed in the other reality, the results could be disastrous.

"We can't risk going into a situation blind. It could make it worst." Hammond ignored Daniel's comment. He knew how Daniel could be when it involved a friend.

"I suggest we bring the mirror back to the SGC." Major Carter stated, already going through the plans to accomplish it.

"We'll be expecting you." Hammond hung up.

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Jonathan and Martha had finished a late lunch when Lex knocked on the kitchen door. Jonathan invited him in. They noticed a young boy carrying a knapsack followed him.

"Lex, it's good to see you again." Martha held out some chocolate-chip cookies she made for the nursing home. Jack grabbed a few. He had had nothing to eat since last night. "And who is your friend."

"Jack O'Neill." Lex answered. "Jack, this is Martha and Jonathan Kent."

"Hi." Jack nodded, making it a point to be on his best behavior especially after being warned by Lex what would happen if he didn't. Plus, he owed Lex for getting him out of the Sheriff's department.

"What can we do for you?" Jonathan was a little suspicious of Lex coming when Clark was still in school.

"I have a favor to ask you." Lex asked. Lex wanted to repay Jack for saving his and the security team's life. And with Jack being an orphan, he would end up going into foster care. He decided to see if the Kents would take him in.

"What?" Martha furrowed her brow.

"Security found two people who broke into the castle." Lex rushed. "It seems that one of them has mental problems. And Jack was trying to prevent him from hurting anybody. He's an orphan."

"You want us to foster him." Jonathan jumped ahead of the conversation.

"Yes, I do." Lex said. "He's a good kid. He saved me and three of my men."

"Jack, why don't you go into the living room." Martha waved a hand at the doorway. "While we discuss this."

Jack hated this aspect of being a child the most. His being sent away while all the 'adults' talked about his immediate future.

"Why should we invite a criminal into our home?" Jonathan asked, after Jack stepped into the other room.

"For one thing, I think the only reason he broke into our home was to stop Steaphan Drummonds, the guy with mental problems." Lex said. "Also, he beat my father in an argument." Lex smiled at the memory.

The Kents were reluctant to bring another child into the house after the last one. They were sorry that they couldn't help Jack out.

"Why can't you foster him?" Jonathan stated. "It isn't like you couldn't afford it."

"I doubt, even with my wealth, they would consider placing a boy into a home of someone recently released from the insane asylum." Lex said.

The Kents looked uncomfortable. Martha got up to see how Jack was doing in the other room. She glanced in the room and didn't see Jack. She stepped through the doorway and looked around. Martha then saw Jack asleep on the sofa with what appeared to be Minnie Mouse under his head and a knapsack clutched in his hand.

Martha stepped back into the kitchen. "Where's the papers?" Lex pulled them out and placed them in front of Martha

"Martha?" Jonathan questioned. He saw Martha's expression and he knew they were getting another foster child.

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Anath was furious and in a great deal of pain but he almost finished healing the last of the bullet wounds. Unfortunately, he had to get rid of the Ferrari. He walked up the road until he came to a house. He went up and knocked on the door.

"What do you want?" An elderly face peered out of the window. He had a shotgun in his hand.

"Some kids attacked me." Anath asked. "Can I borrow your phone?" He hesitated. "My name is Steaphan Drummonds.

"I'm Will Talbot." Talbot opened his door to the disheveled man placing the shotgun against the wall.

Anath smiled as he snapped Mr. Talbot's neck.

Anath discarded the body in the cellar. He made plans to find Jack and get the controller from him. After that, he would torture Jack for the trouble he caused him.

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"Where are you from?" Clark asked. He was excited about his new foster brother. He hoped this one would last more than a couple of weeks.

"Colorado Springs." Jack answered.

"What's it like?" Clark continued pumping for information.

"Beautiful. Fishing is great out there." Jack said.

"You fish?" Jonathan perked up.

"Not another one." Clark groaned theatrically.

"Yeah, but I don't get to do it often." Jack answered.

Jonathan and Jack argued the merits of one fishing pole over another with Martha and Clark as a captive audience. Clark was getting ready to change the subject from the best lures to use when, thankfully, Martha interrupted saying dinner was ready.

"Sit down, Jack." Martha indicated one of the kitchen chairs as she put biscuits on the table. After sitting in the crock-pot for most of the day, a stew was ready. Jack could smell it and he drooled.

"Thank you." Jack said, wiping his mouth.

"Fishing aside, I don't want to hear about you breaking in anyone's house." Jonathan stated quietly

"Don't worry, I don't make a habit of it." Jack answered back in a similar tone. "The only reason I broke into the Luthor's was because of Steaphan."

"Lex told us." Martha pulled four bowls from the cabinet.

"I don't plan on making trouble but I have to find Steaphan." Jack's face was grim and determined.

"He's dangerous. Let the sheriff's department handle it." Jonathan said.

"Okay." Jack agreed a little strained. If the police caught him, he would have to figure out how to break him out. On the other hand, if another Steaphan Drummonds exists in this reality, he would probably end up in the hospital.

"Tomorrow, we'll get you signed up for school." Martha said. She laughed a little when she saw Jack's grimace.

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Martha stepped into the school's main office with Jack behind her.

"Hi Martha." One of the women said. "How's Jonathan doing?"

"He's fine, thank you for asking, Miriam." Martha said. "I'm here to enroll Jack into school."

"Jack? What's your full name?" Miriam asked.

"Jack O'Neill." Jack said.

"Do you have any transcripts?" Miriam opened her file cabinet and pulled out the enrollment forms.

"I was home schooled until my mother died a year ago." Jack said nervously. He hoped that home schooling didn't have some form of transcripts.

"We'll have to test you then." Miriam typed some information into her computer. "How's Friday at 9:00am?"

"That will be fine." Martha said.

"We'll put him in with Clark until he can take the test." Miriam looked up Clark's class schedule. "Come with me."

"Have a good day." Martha said to Jack.

"I will." Jack waved at Martha as he followed Miriam.

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"Can you come with me?" Chloe asked. "Pete promised Lana that he would work at the Talon for the next couple of weeks."

"Chloe, it's not a mutant." Clark said. "But, okay, I'll go"

Jack brought his lunch to the lunch table to where Clark and Chloe were sitting.

"Chloe, this is Jack O'Neill. We're fostering him." Clark said. "Jack, this is Chloe Sullivan."

"Hi." Chloe said.

"Hi." Jack said.

"I'm telling you, Clark." Chloe returned to the conversation. "There is a mutant who can transform into some kind of beast."

"A mutant?" Jack's jaw fell. "There are mutants here? In Kansas?"

"Unlike what scientists and the media reports, the meteor rocks cause genetic mutation in some of the people." Chloe lectured. Chloe reminded him of Carter except he understood everything Chloe said.

"Are you yanking my chain?" Jack couldn't believe that Chloe and Clark would embarrass him by trying to make him believe something totally ridiculous.

"Show him your Wall of Weird." Clark finished the last of his lunch.

They headed towards The Torch after finishing their lunch. When they got there, Chloe waved her hand toward the wall.

"Wow." Jack put his hand on one of the articles. If it was a prank, it was one of the best he ever saw.

"As you know, the meteors fell in Smallville over ten years ago." Chloe said in her glory. Jack didn't know this but kept his mouth shut. "After the event, scientists came and determined that the meteors weren't harmful. Unfortunately, that was a lie."

"They create mutants." Jack stated.

"Not everybody who comes in contact with them becomes a mutant, but yes, a few do." Clark nodded his head. "However, if a person has enough contact with the meteors, it can cause some kind of allergic reaction. It can also cause a mental breakdown."

"Allergic reaction?" Jack wondered.

"They have seizures." Clark frowned, remembering Earl.

"So, now we have a meteor mutant who turns into some kind of beast." Chloe said. "Do you want to help us search, Jack?"

"Sure." Jack was not really interested in mutants but it would be a great way of searching for Anath. And if anybody saw him make his eyes glow and survived the encounter, Chloe would hear about it.

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Chloe again stood alone outside the ruined buildings. Jack and Clark came along as lookout, just out of sight. Chloe gave Jack a video camera to use. Jack shifted his ribs and back killing him. A shadow detached from the side of the building and headed towards Chloe. She screamed, holding the camera in front of her like a weapon, snapping picture after picture.

"GRRRL." The werewolf growled, like a cheesy horror movie villain. The creature put its claws out in front of him. He was about a foot from away her when he heard a sound behind him.

"Tommy." Clark used his x-ray vision to see who it was behind the mask. "That's enough."

"Hi, Clark … Chloe." Tommy pulled the mask off his face, laughing. He was disappointed that Clark ruined the rest of his fun.

"It's not funny." Chloe clenched her teeth.

"Perhaps you guys better leave." Clark grinned. "Before Chloe gets you."

"I now have the expose for the next issue." Tommy motioned for his friends to come out. They could barely stand up, they were laughing so hard. "The wolfman unmasked. I told them I could fool you."

Tommy and his friends walked back to their car laughing.

"Jerk!" Chloe started erasing all the pictures she took with the digital camera. .

"Well that's one monster that has nothing to do with meteor rocks." Clark chuckled.

"It's not funny." Chloe said disgustedly to the laughing boy. "I'm going to be totally humiliated at school."

"Why don't you beat them to the punch?" Jack came out with his video camera. "Interview Clark and me about the 'Smallville Werewolf'."

"It's embarrassing." Chloe stated, totally disgusted with the situation. She hated that people saw her job as one big joke.

"Done right people will be laughing at Tommy and not you." Jack looked mischievous. Clark laughed again imagining what he could say about the werewolf. "People like it when you can laugh at your own foibles."

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Chloe was amazed at how well this issue of the Torch was doing. It was their third printing of the issue in a week. And the web site was getting twice the normal hits. Students were even coming up for her autograph. At first she wasn't going to sign but she noticed the respect as well as humor in their eyes. But, what made it all worthwhile, Tommy and his friends were furious at the turn around.

"I heard the issue was doing well." Jack strode into the room. He really enjoyed being with Chloe. She reminded him of Carter with her single mindedness and courage. And Chloe's hair was only a few shades lighter.

"The interviews were funny." Chloe smiled back. "Especially the line that the ghouls and alien mechanical bugs were nothing compared to the sheer terror that the schlockiness of the werewolf costume produced."

"Personally, I thought Clark's comment on your Kolchak impersonation was pretty funny." Jack laughed a little after remembering Chloe snapping pictures in the midst of danger. It did remind him of the Night Stalker and the mystical camera that seemed to ward off all evil.

"Ha. Ha." Chloe grimaced, not really happy about the comment. Because, when all was said and done, she was rather like Kolchak.

"I've always thought Kolchak was brave." Jack said. "Not only going after creatures stronger than him, but also braving the ridicule of the very people he's trying to save."

"Do you want to go out tonight?" Chloe asked then blushed at the way it sounded. "I mean I heard about someone putting threatening notes in corn."

"Doesn't sound like a job for Kolchak." Jack smiled. As much as he enjoyed Chloe's company, he wished he could find Anath and go back home.

"The corn was pressed down like in the movie 'Signs'." Chloe said. "But it was in English. Basically, it said if you didn't stop hurting the land. The land was going to hurt you."

"Sounds like fun." Jack said.

"Let me call Clark and see if he wants to come." Chloe reached for her cell phone.

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Anath spent the past week following Jack around. He was annoyed that Jack was never alone. He knew that Jack was hunting him because Jack needed him to figure out how to get back to their reality.

Tonight was no different. Jack and a young girl were together looking at the messages in the corn. Anath was startled a moment later when the corn started attacking the two kids. He saw another girl standing on the edge of the cornfield. She seemed to direct the action her hands.

As the corn stalk dragged Jack and his friend under, he saw a blur from the corner of his eye. When it stopped he saw another boy. Anath perked up, thinking this would be a great host.

Clark came to an abrupt stop, feeling the effects of kryptonite. He noticed a piece of it a few inches away from him before the corn stalks swallowed him up. He threw the piece away from him as far as it could go. When he felt his strength return, he ripped apart the corn stalks. Clark did the same for the stalks attacking Chloe and Jack.

Clark turned towards the young girl, fighting off the corn creeping towards him. He recognized her from his third period English class. "Janet. Why are you hurting them?"

"They were going to stop me from saving the land." Janet gestured to the two people still gasping on the ground.

"No, they were curious about the messages in the corn." Clark walked towards Janet.

"The land is alive. I have to save it." Janet used the last of her strength trying to overcome Clark who easily warded off more of the corn stalks.

Clark came up to Janet in time to catch her as she fell.

"Clark are you all right?" Chloe came up to him.

"Yes. Are you two okay?" Clark asked Chloe and Jack.

Jack nodded wondering how Clark could have ripped the corn away from them. He didn't see any tools Clark could have used. It must have been the adrenaline.

After the kids left, Anath looked around for the piece of rock that seemed to hurt his future host, Clark. It might be useful.

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Although it was around nine o'clock at night, Chloe was busy writing the next article for the Torch. It wouldn't be a page-turner like her last one but even the 'ordinary' had a place in the paper, she thought good-humoredly. She felt someone staring at her. Chloe looked up and saw Tommy was standing in front of her.

"What do you want?" Chloe snapped.

"You have to help!" Tommy's hand trembled. "My friends are dead. One of the mutants got them."

"Give me a break!" Chloe saved and closed her file. She grabbed her backpack and headed out.

"I'm not joking!" Tommy grabbed her arms, stopping her in mid-stride.

Chloe jumped, feeling Tommy's cold hands even through her shirt. She peered into his eyes. Chloe was surprised at how good an actor he was. She could have sworn that Tommy was terrified.

"Why didn't you tell the sheriff?" Chloe asked suspiciously.

"I did." Tommy's voice cracked. "We went out to where they died. But they weren't there. I don't know where else to turn."

"Go on." Chloe was intrigued. She pulled out a notebook and pencil from her bag and sat back down at her desk. "Tell me what happened."

"We were heading to the Talon. Me, Billy and Johnny." Tommy sat down on one of the chairs beside her desk. Chloe paused for a moment glaring at Tommy remembering them laughing at her. "Anyway, we were on Talbot Road driving back to the main highway when we saw a man walking. He looked desperate, so we pulled over to give him a lift."

Chloe paused for a moment to look at Tommy. She snorted at the last comment.

"Okay! We were going to give him a hard time." Tommy amended his last comment. He stopped, visibly trying to steady himself.

"What happened next?" Chloe urged Tommy to continue.

"His eyes … they glowed." Tommy started shaking. "He killed Billy. Snapped his neck."

"Do you want some water?" Chloe offered, feeling really bad for him.

"He snapped Johnny's wrist." Tommy continued like he didn't hear Chloe's question. "Johnny was screaming."

"What did he want?" Chloe asked.

"He was asking questions about Clark." Tommy started crying. "I told him. When he killed Johnny, I told him everything I knew."

"What did he look like?" Chloe asked.

"He was older than us by a few years, about this tall." Tommy put his hand eye-height. "His hair could have been red but it was dark. Didn't get a good look. What if he comes after me again?"

"Don't worry, I'll investigate it." Chloe stated. "But if this is another practical joke, I'll rip you a new one."

"Thanks." Tommy brushed by Jack as he left. Chloe called a source at the Sheriff's office to check out Tommy's story.

"You can't trust anything Tommy says." Jack heard the tail end of the conversation. "He already got you once."

"Usually, I agree with you." Chloe hung up the phone and pulled out her notebook. "But I just confirmed that Tommy did call the police."

"I hope he isn't crying wolf." Jack said.

"Jack!" Chloe threw a pencil at him. Jack caught it.

"Sorry." Jack said.

"They stopped for a man on the road." Chloe frowned worried. " He was asking questions about Clark! Tommy said his eyes glowed."

"Anath!" Jack straightened up.

"What?" Chloe questioned. "You know who he's talking about."

"We need to get to the Kents." Jack ran out the door. Chloe followed close behind.

"I'll drive you." Chloe lead Jack to her car. "Tell me what about this Anath."

"I will, Later." Jack held on to the dash urging the car to go faster.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

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Jonathan was in the barn when he heard the truck pull up. He came out to see a strange man jump out with a shotgun in his hand.

"Hold it." Anath cried. Clark came running out at super speed after seeing the man pull a shotgun on his Dad. He slowed down and fell to his knees.

"Clark!" Jonathan knelt down by his son. He looked up, glaring at Anath. Martha ran out into the yard.

"Bring him inside." Anath prodded Jonathan with the gun.

Jonathan picked up his son and carried him to the house. Martha walked beside him brushing the hair off Clark's forehead.

"Tell me about him." Anath pointed the gun at Martha.

Jonathan glared at the man and started telling him story about a genetic experiments to stall for time. This man wasn't going to hurt his son. He and Martha talked about this eventuality and were in agreement.

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Chloe and Jack were a few miles from the Kent farm when they heard the police siren behind them.

"Why do they never show up when we need them?" Chloe cried out. "And show up when we least want them around."

Chloe slowed to a stop. Jack took the zat out of the knapsack and used the knapsack to conceal it.

"Hi officer." Jack smiled in a friendly manner as a deputy was getting out of the patrol car. He strolled up to the deputy, pulled out his za'at and fired on the deputy. He fired at the other deputy in the passenger seat before he could pull his weapon.

Chloe got out of the car.

"You killed them!" She screamed.

"Chloe, they're just stunned." Jack dropped the zat and gathered both of her hands in one of his. He pointed to the man at his feet with the other. "His chest is moving, Chloe!"

Chloe looked down at the deputy and, much to her relief, did see the deputy breathing. "I want to know everything."

"I promise." Jack went back to the car after picking up the zat.

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Anath had tied up Clark's parents up. He thought about killing them but, considering the boy's great strength, it might be better if he killed them while in Clark's body. He found that to be demoralizing to the host.

Anath turned Clark over exposing the back of the neck. The snake appeared and flew at the neck.

"NO!" Martha screamed, terrified by the snake. Jonathan tried to twist free, frantic to help his son.

Before the snake could penetrate the skin, a blue light hit it and Steaphan. The weird snake dropped to the floor. Martha and Jonathan turned to the source of the light and saw Jack standing at the door with an expression of hatred on his face. Chloe stood behind him with fearful expression snapping picture after picture.

"We need a container for Anath." Jack ran over and grabbed the snake with one hand. "It has to be strong."

"Is Clark okay?" Chloe untied the Kents. Jonathan ran over to Steaphan.

"He will be." Jonathan searched through Steaphan's clothes for the kryptonite.

"Is this okay?" Martha pulled out a pressure cooker with a locking lid.

Jack nodded as he placed Anath in the cooker. Martha locked the lid firmly in place and then went over to Clark.

Chloe and Martha helped Clark to the sofa. Jack saw Jonathan pulled the meteorite out of Steaphan's pocket.

"Tie him up." Jonathan snapped as he walked out the door.

"It's not necessary." Jack touched Steaphan on his shoulder. He knew Steaphan would be living with the guilt for years to come.

"What's going on Jack?" Jonathan put his arm around his son. Although Clark felt better immediately after the krptonite was removed, he thought it would be better to fake weakness for a while.

The others looked at him expectantly. "It's a long story." Jack sat down at the table. The other people sat down as well. "I'm from an alternate reality. Our world is at war with a race called the Goa'uld. They're a parasitic race that takes humans as their host."

"Ghouls." Chloe smiled at Jack. "Mechanical bugs?"

"Another story." Jack grinned back. "So far we've been successful in fighting them. Actually, so successful that only the leaders of Earth know about it."

"You know." Clark stated.

"Another story." Jack repeated. "Anyway, when I discovered Dr. Hilliard, one of our scientists, was a Goa'uld. I immediately called the government. I was keeping an eye on him before they arrived. What I didn't know was that Anath discovered a portal leading to alternate dimensions. He was about to use it when Steaphan and I arrived on the scene. With the help of another friend, Minnie, we subdued Dr. Hilliard."

"Then Anath entered Steaphan." Martha said.

"I've seen Goa'uld with hosts they kept alive for hundreds of years." Jack put his head on his hand. "I never seen one change hosts as much as this one did."

"It wasn't your fault." Martha went over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Everybody simply nodded. They had all been through too much to be fazed by what Jack had said, even if Jack couldn't prove that he was from an alternate universe

"If you contacted the government?" Chloe asked. "Why didn't they come through too? Or did they."

"It extremely dangerous." Jack exaggerated a little bit. "If you exist in the alternate universe you can die within minutes."

"Why did you come through the portal if you knew it was dangerous?" Jonathan frowned at Jack.

"Anath shoved me through it." Jack replied. "I was going back when Anath followed me to this reality. "

"How did you know about it?" Chloe and Martha said at the same time.

"My friend, Daniel, found one five or six years ago." Jack said. He turned to Clark curious about his abilities. "Why did Anath?" Jack stopped when it looked like Clark was going to have a heart attack, his eyes darting toward Chloe as he shook his head 'no'. "Doesn't matter." Jack said.

"Where's the portal?" Chloe asked.

"I have to open it again." Jack answered. He didn't want Chloe to know too much about the mirror. If the Luthors found out they owned it, all the realities could be in jeopardy. And that definitely would happen if Chloe printed it in the Torch. "Steaphan and I are leaving for our reality tonight. No one can come with me. If you get pulled through the portal … I can't guarantee your safety."

"Why can't you stay longer?" Clark wished he could keep foster brothers around.

"Steaphan is wanted for murder here." Jack glanced upstairs where Steaphan lay sleeping. "It wasn't his fault. An adult Goa'uld has complete control of a host."

"I have something before you go." Chloe ran to the car. She got a copy of the Smallville Werewolf edition. "I wanted to give this to you. Even before the weirdness."

"Thanks Chloe." Jack took the paper and kissed her on the cheek. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Chloe went out to car and drove off.

"Are you a mutant?" Jack asked Clark after Chloe left.

"Yes." Clark turned to his parents briefly.

"No, you're not." Jack knew Clark was lying when he saw the guilt on his face.

"I'm an alien." Clark said as his parents protested. "My world was destroyed. To save me, my parents put me on a spaceship and sent me to Earth."

"Are you planning to conquer Earth?" Jack joked.

"My biological father says Earth is primitive, that I'm destined to lead it." Clark said. Clark's parents were about to stroke out on the spot. They couldn't believe what Clark confessed to.

Jack was taken aback by the response. He wondered if he should do something about Clark. He stared into Clark's eyes for a moment. Jack realized then that Clark would never harm Earth or its inhabitants.

"Ever heard the saying 'Leading by example'?" Jack asked, smiling.

Clark was sure that Jor-El meant for him to conquer this world but it did give him something to think about. It also made his destiny, potentially, more hopeful.

Martha went over to Jack and gave him a big hug, grateful at Jack's interpretation. Jack blushed at the attention.

"The portal is actually a Quantum Mirror. It is located in the Luthor's attic." Jack said. "We have to go back to the castle. Is there anyway you can get us there unseen?"

"Why didn't you tell Chloe…" Clark began.

"Do you want the Luthors to know they have a mirror that can go to alternate realities?" Jack interrupted.

The Kents shook their heads frantically.

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Clark carried Steaphan at below super speed to the Quantum Mirror where Jack was waiting with the pressure cooker and knapsack and the remote to the mirror. He noticed the mirror ringing like a bell but neither Jack nor Steaphan noticed it.

"I'm sorry, Clark." Steaphan said tears flowing down his face.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." Clark assured him. "It was the Goa'uld not you."

Steaphan knew that to be the case but his heart felt otherwise. He placed his hand on the mirror and disappeared in a flash of light.

"You asked me how I knew about the Goa'ulds." Jack asked. "A renegade scientist of one of our allies cloned an Air Force Colonel and gave it all his memories. I'm the clone."

Clark nodded and stuck out a hand. Jack shook it.

"Goodbye Jack and thanks." Clark said.

"Tell your family thanks again, Clark." Jack said, reluctant to leave. He felt normal here. "You and your family have been great."

"I will, Jack." Clark said.

"Don't worry about what your biological father said, this world is lucky to have you." Jack placed his hand on the mirror and disappeared.

THE END


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